The University Art Collection provides students opportunities for direct engagement with original works of art while cultivating an environment that creates dialogue, fosters creativity, and promotes interdisciplinary thinking. The permanent collection consists of 9 distinct collections representing a long history of acquisitions and gifts.
The Mark H. Reece Collection of Student-Acquired Contemporary Art Catalog
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Come chat with art conservator Heather Galloway over coffee and donuts!
📍 Scales 110
🗓 Monday, April 7th
🕘 9:00–10:00 AM
Come listen to a presentation on Chemistry and Conservation with Heather!
📍 Scales 103
🗓 Tuesday, April 8th
🕘 4:00-5:00 PM
Feature Friday: Don Green “Myself”, 2004
A self-portrait can be one of the most intimate projects an artist creates. They supply insight into the inner workings of an artist’s mind and give a raw and honest peek into their psyche. Being able to see how a person views themself is a special experience. Don Green’s self-portrait, “Myself” is an honorable and refreshing work of art as it surpasses the modern-day expectations of how one should present themselves. He chooses to highlight his imperfections instead of filtering them.
“Myself” shows almost no similarities to his other works, but that is precisely what makes it so special. Drawn in black, he highlights his wrinkles, eye bags, and smile-lines, deeply ingrained in his facial structure– a byproduct of age. Green’s portrait is far from the glossed-over, seemingly perfect faces gracing magazine covers. A courageously raw and unfiltered self-portrait is exactly what Green gives us, setting an example for other artists to follow in his footsteps and produce authentic art.
Kyra Marty
Location: Visual Resource Center
Woodcut, 14” x 11”
Print Collection, Acc#: PC2013.3.1.1
Feature Friday: Roy De Forest “The Airplane”, 1993
You may know Roy De Forest for his iconic paintings including dogs in the not so typical setting. Roy De Forest was an American painter who is most commonly known for his comical and fantastical paintings of dogs. He features dogs in his lithographic printwork “The Airplane” as mountains. Dogs seem to be De Forest’s niche, or rather “muse” as they are featured in the majority of his works. The choice to make an animal the subject is a decision that likely came to De Forest during the Funk Art and Nut Art movements in the Bay Area of California, which were characterized by focusing on individualism of the artist. De Forest’s whimsical approach to portraying dogs solidifies his place as a distinctive figure in the world of contemporary art.
Kyra Marty
Location: Scales 110b
Lithograph, 22.5” x 30”
Print Collection, Acc#: PC1999.2.1
Feature Friday: Brigitte Coudrain’s “The Eternal Promise”, c1960 🌈
Brigitte Coudrain is a French painter and illustrator. Coudrain studied printmaking techniques in Paris during the 1950s under the renowned engraver Friedlaender. While studying alongside Friedlaender, Coudrain developed a unique precision of etching, which is what sets her work apart from other artists. Her distinct style of illustration draws upon landscapes and various plants and flowers.
“The Eternal Promise” is an example of Coudrain’s talent with ink, as it showcases precision of figures, trees, and nature, all so complex while still maintaining the simplicity of being an illustration.
– Kyra Marty
Location: Visual Resource Center
Color etching on Arches Paper, 15” x 11”, edition 68/100
Print Collection, Acc#: PC2012.6.1
Our first Feature Friday is Warrington Colescott’s “Benjamin Franklin at Versailles” from the series “The History of Printmaking”, 1976
Warrington W. Colescott was an American artist known for his satirical printwork. Colescott served in World War II and later returned to the United States to go to art school. During his time as an undergraduate student, at UC Berkeley where he majored in Fine Arts, Colescott worked for the university’s humor magazine which he wrote and submitted cartoons for. Colescott has been accredited with helping grow the art department at the University of Wisconsin Madison, where he taught for thirty-seven years.
Civil rights and war mechanisms are a few components he has expressed in his work. In addition he draws upon what he sees as “societal ills” as inspiration. During the late sixties and early seventies, Colescott’s work became increasingly satirical; a sharp juxtaposition of the political and social climate of the time. In “Benjamin Franklin at Versailles” Colescott offers a humorous version of what would typically be a serious historical moment. This work of art is the perfect example of Colescott’s signature satirical style.
– Kyra Marty ‘27
📍Lower Scales Hallway
Color etching and aquatint on Arches Paper, 25” x 36”, edition 15/25
Print Collection, Acc#: PC1994.1
During her five-year tenure as the Acquavella Curator of Collections, Jennifer Finkel has overseen the care, stewardship, integration, and development of Wake Forest University’s Permanent Art Collection. Among her many accomplishments, she helped lead the charge to establish a conservation fund for the Mark H. Reece Collection of Student-Acquired Contemporary Art, allowing the collection to be cared for for many years to come. She has grown the collection with donated artworks through the Museum Exchange program, which has helped fill in the gaps in our vast collection. We are now one of over 650 museums and other cultural organizations available on the Bloomberg Connects App, allowing us to connect to our audience in new ways and reach those who may not have the opportunity to see the collection in person.
Beginning in January 2025, Jennifer will be the Associate Vice President for Art Experience at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. While we will certainly miss Jennifer’s dedication to and advocacy for our collection, we wish her nothing but the best as she transitions into this new phase of her career.
I have had the pleasure of working with Jennifer for these last five years and can say with certainty that she has made a definitive and lasting impact on this campus, the community, the collection, and the Office of University Art Collections (OUAC). On behalf of the OUAC, I thank Jennifer for her time at Wake Forest and look forward to seeing what she accomplishes in her new position.
-Jessica Burlingame, Art Collection Manager
Hurricane Relief Donation Drive-Through at Reynolda Village
Reynolda Village is partnering with Second Harvest Food Bank to help our neighbors in Western
North Carolina. We will offer a “Donation Drive-Through” event at Reynolda Village on Saturday,
October 19, from 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. A list of the most needed items is shown below.
Reynolda Village will transport the donated supplies to locations as directed by Second Harvest
Food Bank to be sure they get to the people who need them most. Thank you in advance for your
generosity!
On October 19, enter Reynolda Village through the main entrance at 2201 Reynolda Road and
follow the signs. We will have volunteers available to unload your vehicle. We want to make it
quick and easy for you to help our fellow North Carolinians!
For more information, visit https://www.facebook.com/share/z6xwZ5KLhPCPvaW1/
Most Needed Items:
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Paper towel rolls
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Trash bags
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Disinfecting cleaners
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Canned chicken & tuna (pop-top)
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Pop-top complete meals and soups
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Pop-top fruits in natural syrup
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Peanut butter
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Jelly/fruit spreads
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Shelf-stable milk (family-sized)
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Individual cereal bowls/cups
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Large zip-lock bags
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Duffle bags
We are thrilled that three photographs from Clayton Bi’s (‘24) Art Honors exhibition found a home at the Office of Sustainability!
Lǎo Lao, 2024
“This project is dedicated to my grandmother, and to my family. My grandmother is the cornerstone of my upbringing, and to this day she is a constant inspiration and guiding force in my life. These photos not only encircle my grandmother and her spirit, they also depict important, authentic life scenes from my hometown, Chengdu, China. I offer this honors exhibition as a testament to the power of art – to capture and convey the essence of human relationships and the indelible impact of family heritage.”
– Clayton Bi (‘24) @clayton_bcy
#wakethearts #winstonsalem #artsnc #wakeforest #wfu #uacwfu #wfuuac #WaketheArts #studentart #wfuart #wfu_uac #hanesgallery
